The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-11-17
Experts In Washington Life.

The wives and daughters Of new Con.
gressmen and officials are frequently
thrown into society without previous
preparation. From the quiet of coun.
try home this is a terrible transition.
There are ladies here in Washington
whose husbands have been army or navy
officers. They have spent years in soci.
ETY. and have held and still hold high
rank. The mysteries of form and usage
are familiar to them, but the death or
retirement of their husbands has reduced
their finances below the figures of their
extravagant tastes. These ladies now
sustain their position in society leading
the uninitiated through the mysterious
mazes. They teach the wives of the new
Senators and members from the back dis.
tricts the polite forms and pilot them
safely through winter in Washington.
The relation they hold to the novice is
that of superior, who condescends to
take part of a friendly adviser or chape.
ron. They are courted, followed-and
paid They are women who have been
bellies in society in the past, and who
dictate its forms now They now make
business of pleasure. They advise
their patrons what to wear, how to fur.
nish their house, how to talk and act,
how TO set their tables, how to receive
callers and who to receive; when to call,
how to call, and who to call on. They
tell them the difference between an ordi-
nary tea ard high tea; between a din.
ncr party and luncheon. They rub
the dust of their dialect and teach them
polite forms Of speech, and tell them
what to talk about. They lead them
around the circle and teach by example.
These chaperons are not known as such
except to tihose who emp'o5 them, and
they are the most courted of all society.
They are experts in Washington life.
In the morning, when they are not cir
cling the rounds of society, they act the
part Of private conversationalists. There
are always number of wealthy ladies
who, on account Of not yet knowing the
ways of society, or of ill.health, or per.
haps because they are in mourning, are
not in the social swim.
AS conversationalists these queens and
factotums of society bring all the gossip
and goings OH in society in morning
call upon those wealthy victims of seclu-
sion. They tell them who held rccep.
tions last night and who were there;
what they wore, what they said, and what
was said about them, They relate the
latest private scandal tell what different
people think of each other, and how
each is measured up by the whole Of
society. They report how long Mr. -
talked with Miss Millions, and repeat
what "eoclety" thought OF 1t. Ihey dis
cuss the engagements made, to be made,
and broken of. All the little bits of
gossip, small talk, and scandal they carry
With exact memory as to all the inter.
esting details, and keep their secluded
patrons as we'll posted as if they were
among the most gay. They lighted up
q melancholy morning.
Some of the most fashionable women
who have long been the "leaders" of so.
ciety earn in this way the means to keep
up their establishments and to maintain
themselves in fashionable luxury. The
wives and daughters of some famous men
now dead are professional leaders of soci-
ETY., and live by their profession.-IAila'
delphia Telegraph.